Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry recently delivered a lecture on the value of âPublic Service in the 21st Century,â in Princeton Universityâs Robertson Hall. He talked about about how individuals working for the federal government can have a large-scale impact.
He used himself as an example of how one person can make a huge impact on an issue. He cited his role in the 2010 Affordable Care Act, where he was in charge of crafting an insurance policy that would cover Americans that were denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
âLet me tell you, there are thousands of people in those states today who are greatly relieved that they can have insurance now where it wasnât before,â he said, as reported by The Daily Princetonian.
As the highest-ranking openly gay official to serve in the executive branch, Berry told the audience he was proud to have served in an administration that repealed the controversial âDonât Ask, Donât Tellâ policy.
âI was able to help the president draft a presidential memorandum extending employment benefits to same-sex domestic partners of federal employees,â he said. âImagine how many lives we touched and improved in a meaningful and tangible way.â